The present invention relates to a hot or cold beverage container with an integral stirring device. More specifically, the present invention relates to the design of the stirring container being of a shape and size whereby it readily fits into the beverage container orifice located in the passenger compartment of most, if not all motor vehicles. The beverage container also provides an excellent advertising means as graphical or advertising material may be imprinted on its surfaces.
Insulated travel beverage mugs have existed for some time. These mugs are made in a generally cylindrical shape. More recently, a tapered cylindrical shape has been introduced such that the closed end of the container is of a reduced diameter in comparison to the open end. Examples of typical insulated mugs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,703 to Karp and U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,761 to Wissinger. A problem with these containers is they have no means by which the liquid may be stirred while in the container so as to maintain a desired temperature and/or desired consistency of the liquid.
Stirring mechanisms mounted in the bases of beverage holders or cups have also been existence, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,084 to Calhoun, U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,552 to Schindleggeer and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2001/0036124A1 of Rubenstein. A problem with these mechanisms is that they are designed such that the diameter of the closed end of the cup in which the mechanism is located is of the same large diameter as the open end of the cup.
What is lacking in the prior art is an integral stirring mechanism comprised of components and a power supply of sufficiently small size such that the outside diameter of the container housing in which the stirring mechanism is located may be reduced to a smaller diameter than that of the open end of the container. With a reduced diameter closed end and a larger diameter open end, the beverage container is designed to maximize the volume of contained liquid while providing a closed end sized such that it will readily fit into the standard cup holder orifice in typical vehicle passenger compartments, some of which currently do not accommodate a beverage container of cylindrical shape having a large outside diameter.